In case you don’t know him, Hyram is a self-described “skincare junkie” who dominates the YouTube skincare world. He has lots of opinions about every skincare brand imaginable– over the summer I went through his channel and checked my entire routine for what he approves of. Here are a few things I learned in the process.
- What is my skin type?
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This is so important for figuring out how to best help your skin! Hyram simplifies the process of finding your type by simply washing your face in the shower. After the shower, Hyram says not to put any products on your face and wait inside for an hour. If your face feels shiny and greasy after, you have oily skin. If it feels tight and flakey, you have dry skin. If some spots are shiny but others are tight or stripped, then you have combination skin.
- Charcoal peel-off masks are TOUGH on your skin
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If ANYTHING hurts your skin, it is bad for your skin. These masks remove your protective lipid barrier from your skin. When you think you’re removing blackheads by getting rid of the white gunk left behind after a mask, you’re really removing a final protective filament from within the pores. They really don’t do anything in the long term for blackheads or whiteheads…Hyram suggests exfoliating instead!
- How do I layer my skincare routine?
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Simple, but SO important. If you have a lot of products, Hyram helps to explain what order in which to apply your skincare routine. First, use an oil or water-based cleanser, then you are cleansed enough to apply a face mask. Then you can move on to treatments: Hyram recommends applying a salicylic acid serum first, then a (hydrating) toner applied with your hand or essence if you like those. Now you can move onto moisturizer– Hyram says to be gentle! Rub then pat excess into your skin. Finally, don’t forget SPF! Always put this on last because it shields skin from accepting the rest of the products.
- Fragrance is a BAD WORD in skincare!
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On the ingredients list, companies are only required to put “fragrance/perfume” to represent over 3,000 different fragrances. Synthetic fragrances have been proven to be super irritating to your skin and can manifest years down the line. They also break down your skin’s natural barrier. Try to avoid fragrance in skincare because you simply aren’t provided with enough information about what’s going on your skin!